At Results UK, we provide the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Tuberculosis. For the APPG, we have produced a report examining the rising rates of tuberculosis (TB) – the world’s deadliest infectious disease – in the UK. This report is the culmination of a parliamentary inquiry conducted by the APPG, drawing on evidence from clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience.
Many people assume that tuberculosis is a disease of the past – but across the UK, rates are rising, reversing decades of progress and highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action. Although TB is both entirely preventable and curable, it remains a threat in environments shaped by entrenched inequalities. Overcrowded or insecure housing, poor nutrition, obstacles to timely healthcare and gaps in support all create fertile ground for the disease. These challenges are not confined to one group, and so an effective response must combine social action with strong clinical care.
Low awareness of TB – both in the public domain and within parts of the medical community – continues to cause avoidable delays in diagnosis and reinforce stigma. People with lived experience described financial, social and long-term health impacts, as well as barriers to navigating a system that is often difficult to access and not always responsive to those most affected.
To reduce the rising domestic rates of tuberculosis, this report highlights the need to improve prevention and early detection of the disease; to tackle inequality which creates barriers to access; to build a sustainable and well-trained workforce; and to develop a coordinated national approach.